Estrogen receptor values in patients with benign breast disease

Tissue specimens from 55 female patients with benign breast disease were assayed for estrogen receptor. Twenty-one of 55 patients (38%) had tumors which contained significant amounts of estrogen receptor (greater than 10 femtomoles/mg protein). Fibroadenomas possessed estrogen receptor more frequently than fibrocystic disease or other benign breast tumors. Estrogen receptor positivity did not correlate with laterality of the tumor; location or size of the largest nodule. Patients with estrogen receptor positive tumors had a mean age of 26.9 years compared to 36.4 years for patients with estrogen receptor negative tumors (p less than 0.01). Twenty of 46 (43%) premenopausal patients had benign tumors which were estrogen receptor positive compared to zero of 8 postmenopausal patients (p less than 0.05).